Synthesis and characterization of alcogels based on ethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate-vinyl phosphonic acid copolymers

Alcohol absorbents based on poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate) and vinyl phosphonic acid (VPA) were prepared via solution polymerization using poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) macrocrosslinker. Swelling capacity of these materials was measured in water, ethanol and methanol. Alcohol absorbency was increased with increase of VPA content that can be attributed to ability of VPA in formation of H-bonding and disassociation of phosphonic acid group to produce mobile ions. The alcogels could absorb ethanol and methanol up to 15.1 and 17.8 g/g respectively. Thermo-gravimetric analysis showed that increase in VPA concentration increased char yield and decreased the initial decomposition temperature (IDT) due to forming anhydride crosslinks during heating. Based on rheological measurements, the storage modulus was increased with increase in PEGMEMA content. The prepared alcogels were further characterized using FTIR, NMR and DMTA.     

Dynamic mechanical behavior and nanostructure morphology of hyperbranched‐modified polypropylene blends

Polypropylene (PP) was modified utilizing two types of polyesteramide‐based hyperbranched polymers (amphiphilic PS and hydrophilic PH). A maleicanhydride‐modified PP (PM) was used as a reactive dispersing agent to enhance the modification by grafting the hyperbranched polymers onto the PP chains. Pure PP, two different non‐reactively modified samples, i.e. excluding PM, and two different reactively modified samples, i.e. including PM, were studied. Investigating the morphology of the samples was performed by scanning electron microscopy. To follow the effect of the modification on the dynamic mechanical properties, dynamic mechanical analysis experiments both in the melt (rheometric mechanical spectrometry) and in solid state (dynamic mechanical thermal analysis) were carried out. In the next step, the nanocrystalline structure of the samples was studied by small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) in two different modes, i.e. static and recrystallization. Hundreds of SAXS patterns were analyzed automatically using procedures written in PV‐WAVE image‐processing software. The chord distribution function (CDF) was calculated and the long period (l_p) of the crystal lamellae was extracted from the CDFs. The rheometric mechanical spectrometry results show that both hyperbranched polymers decrease complex viscosity η^* and enhance liquid‐like behavior. This happens more significantly when PM is included. The dynamic mechanical thermal analysis results reveal that T_g decreases when PS and PH are added. In the reactively modified samples this reduction is compensated most probably because of the crosslinked structure formed through the grafting reaction between the hyperbranched polymers and PM. Such structure is confirmed by SAXS data and calculated CDFs in the recrystallization mode. Static SAXS data also show enhancement in the crosshatched morphology of the crystalline lamellae of PP for reactively modified samples compared with non‐reactively modified samples. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry     

Modification of poly(propylene) by grafted polyester‐amide‐based dendritic nanostructures with the aim of improving its dyeability

Fiber‐graded poly(propylene) was modified by polyester‐amide‐based dendritic nanostructures with the aim of improving its dyeability. Two different dendritic polymers were used and the dendritic nanostructures were formed in situ via reactive blending with maleic anhydride‐modified poly(propylene). Samples were chosen exploiting a 4‐component mixture design. Thermal, morphological, and rheological characterizations showed domains with different size and distribution were formed and primary properties of the dendritics determined the characteristics of the resulted domains. Morphological parameters were quantified by digital analysis of scanning electron microscope images. Thermal and rheological behavior also demonstrated good agreements with the inferred morphology of the formed dendritic domains. The modified samples were then dyed with dispersed dyestuffs. A variety of substantivities were obtained, and some of the modified samples showed a significant enhancement in dyeing properties. A predictive model was developed for K/S ratio, where K and S are absorption and scattering coefficients of the Kubelka‐Munk one constant theory, respectively. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

A modern congestion pricing policy for urban traffic: subsidy plus toll

Railway Engineering Science - Congestion pricing is seen as an effective policy to address traffic congestion. In such policies where money, people and authorities are involved, the success...     

On the Refinement Mechanism of Silicon in Al-Si-Cu-Zn Alloy with Addition of Bismuth

Obtained results of micro and nano studies reveal that bismuth refines the silicon in which the flake silicon changed to lamellar structure with reduction in twin spacing from 160 to 75 nm. Bismuth segregates towards the inter-dendritic regions and decreases the Al-Si contact angle resulting in suppression of the silicon growth causing refinement of the eutectic structure. Increased recalescence temperature and time confirmed that the refinement effect is attributed to the growth stage.     

Polyhydroxybutyrate/chitosan/bioglass nanocomposite as a novel electrospun scaffold: fabrication and characterization

Scaffolds and their features play a central role in tissue engineering; so this study is based on the production of a series of electrospun PHB/Chitosan/nBG nanocomposite scaffolds with 9 wt% polyhydroxybutyrate, 10, 15 and 20 wt% chitosan and 7.5, 10 and 15 wt% nanobioglass (nBG). Electrospinning process was performed with optimal conditions of spinning machine including voltage of 16 kV, syringe-collector spacing of 16 cm, and output rate of 1 µl per hour. The developed phases and the formation of chemical bonds between ceramic and polymer bands were studied through XRD and FTIR analyses. The FE-SEM and TEM analyses showed uniform morphology of nanofibers and dispersion of bioglass nanoparticles in the fiber structure. The presence of 10 wt% bioglass nanoparticles and 15 wt% chitosan increased the tensile strength of fibers to 3.42 MPa, which was about four times greater than strength of control sample (pure PHB). The developed fibers were kept 28 days in SBF solution and 60 days in PBS solution to assess their bioactivity and biodegradability. The results showed that the presence of bioglass nanoparticles leads to a dramatic increase in absorption of calcium and phosphorus ions and weight loss of scaffold. The developed scaffold can be used for bone and teeth tissue engineering applications.     

Sonochemical Synthesis of a Nanocrystalline Tin(IV) Complex based on a Bulky Anthracene Carboxylate Ligand: Spectroscopic and Photophysical Properties

In order systematically investigate the effect of ligand with a large conjugated π-system on the structure and optical properties of tin complex, anthracene-9-carboxylic acid (L¹) is selected as a primary ligand, and quinoline-2-carboxylic acid (L²) used as second ligand to incorporate with anthracene-9-carboxylic acid to construct a new tin(IV)-carboxylate coordination complex under thermal gradient condition. Prepared complex was fully characterized based on its ¹H and ¹³C NMR, IR and UV spectra and elemental analysis. The molecular structure of complex was determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. The nanocrystalline complexes of the prepared complex were successfully obtained at 30, 50 and 60 °C by a facile sonochemical route. The new nanocrystalline complexes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The photoluminescence properties of the nanocrystalline complexes and crystalline bulk complex in the solid-state indicated that the size of the complex particles has a remarkable effect on the optical properties of it. Absorption and emission peaks of the nanocrystalline complexes blue shifted significantly in comparison with those of in the single-crystal form. Application of the prepared complex in fabrication of an organic light-emitting diode has been demonstrated. The current–voltage (I–V) characteristics and the electroluminescence (EL) properties of the complex have been investigated. The EL of the compound exhibits green emission at 552 nm.     

Sonoelectrochemical synthesis of a nanoscale complex of lead(II) and 2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline: spectroscopic, photoluminescence, thermal analysis studies and its application in an OLED

A new lead complex, [Pb(mq)₂], (mq = 2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline) was prepared via an electrochemical route from the oxidation of lead metal in the presence of 2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline in a fast and facile process. The complex was fully characterized by means of NMR and IR spectra and elemental analysis. The nanostructure of the prepared compound was obtained by sonoelectrochemical process and studied by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Thermal stability of single crystalline and nanosize samples of the prepared compound was studied by thermal gravimetric and differential thermal analysis. The photoluminescence properties of the prepared compounds, as single crystals and as nanorods, have been investigated. The results showed a good correlation between the size and the shape of the complex particles and emission wavelength. The prepared complex was doped in PVK:PBD blend as guest and its application in the fabrication of OLED was studied. The ratio of lead complex was modified and was equal to 8 (w/w %) in PVK:PBD (100:40).